Wang Yi: "Addition" and "Subtraction"Should Be Done Well When Developing China-US Relations

On February 23, 2016, when Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Secretary of State John Kerry of the US jointly met the press in Washington D.C., Wang Yi stressed that China-US relations are among the most important bilateral relations in the world. In the meanwhile, the relations are complicated, multi-variant and hard to define. Opportunities for cooperation could turn into disagreements if they were not grasped well, while disagreements and frictions could become cooperation highlights if they were dealt with properly. "Addition" and "subtraction" should be done well when developing China-US relations.

Wang Yi stated that "addition" refers to continuously accumulating positive aspects of China-US relations and expanding positive energy through broadening practical cooperation. The interests of China and the US have blended with each other. Last year China became the largest trade partner of the US for the first time. Looking around today's world, from nuclear non-proliferation to climate change, from peace in the Middle East to development of Africa, all require China-US coordination, cooperation and joint participation. Looking into the future, China-US common interests will only increase but not reduce, and the fields where the two countries should and can cooperate will only widen but not narrow down. Therefore, the two sides should not only think about "to make the opposite side do what" but also think more of "what can we do together" , so as to make the cake of common interests bigger.

Wang Yi expressed that "subtraction" indicates constructive management and control of disagreements. As the largest developing country and the largest developed country respectively, we inevitably have contradictions, since new contradictions will always appear even if the previous ones have been solved. The two sides should face squarely the contradictions in China-US relations and eliminate misunderstandings and misjudgments timely though close and effective communication, and manage and control disagreements in a constructive way to prevent minor issues from becoming major troubles.

Wang Yi stressed that the prospects of China-US relations are based on the broad and important common interests of the two countries. We should look into the future of China-US relations with telescope, instead of magnifying the problems in China-US relations with microscope. The two sides should continue handling and advancing China-US relations with farsighted vision and strategic insight.